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One World with Zain Asher
U.S. Attorney General Touts New Fraud Protection Division; U.S. Attorney General Bondi Questioned about the CIA & Trump Dossier; U.S. Attorney General Questioned about I.C.E. Immigration Crackdown; U.S. Attorney General Bondi Testifies on Capitol Hill; Netanyahu Meets with Trump at the White House. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 11, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Documents over 3 million and Donald Trump signed that law to release all of those documents. He is the most
transparent president in the nation's history. And none of them, none of them ask Merrick Garland over the last four years, one word about Jeffrey
Epstein. How ironic is that? You know why? Because Donald Trump the DOW, the DOW right now is over. The DOW is over $50,000.
I don't know why you're laughing? You're a great stock trader, as I hear Raskin. The DOW is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7000 and the
NASDAQ smashing records. Americans, 401-Ks and retirement savings are booming. That's what we should be talking about.
We should be talking about making Americans safe. We should be talking about -- what does a DOW have to do with anything? That's what they just
asked. Are you kidding?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Jordan --
BONDI: Are you kidding?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Jordan --
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Committee will be in order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Jordan, am I going to get an extra 45 seconds added to my time?
JORDAN: The Committee will be in order. The time belongs to the Gentleman from Texas, Ms. Bondi, the Attorney General can respond.
BONDI: Thank you. The DOW has shattered 50,000 for the first time. This is crazy. They said it couldn't be done in four years yet President Trump has
done it in one year. National median rents have fallen to a four-year low thanks to Donald Trump. That's why they want to focus on Epstein and our
most transparent president in the nation's history.
The murder rate, as I said, has plummeted to 125 years low thanks to Donald Trump. For an unprecedented nine straight months, there were zero illegal
border crossings at the southern border, that's what we should be focused on. All the great work that this president has done and will continue to do
to keep America safe and to make Americans safe.
REP. LANCE GOODEN (R-TX): Thank you, Attorney General, Bondi. I agree with you totally. I think you've done a fine job. I think that Democrats, in
fact, should be apologizing to the Epstein victims for doing nothing during the four years that they were running the government.
We did not hear about this, and it took you and President Trump to finally provide transparency and give answers to the American people. And I want to
thank you for that. I want to thank you also for standing up for truth today and for fighting back against the theatrics and the time waste that
you will endure over the next hour or two.
I want to apologize on behalf of my colleagues on the left there. They're not all that bad, but they've got to put on a show, and I'm sorry that you
have to go through that. And I would like to yield the last I'd say 40 -- 80 seconds. The clock says 40, but I've got 80 seconds since I was so
rudely interrupted, and I'll give all 80 seconds to Chairman Jordan.
JORDAN: And I would just yield to the to the attorney general, if she has anything to add.
BONDI: I'm fine to continue. Thank you, Chairman.
JORDAN: OK. All right. The Chair now recognizes -- the gentleman, yields back. The Chair recognizes the Gentlelady from California.
REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would note that Mr. Nadler's question has not yet been answered. But I want to start by asking
that out of respect for the American public and the Epstein survivors, some of whom, of course, are here today, that we can have a transparent
conversation and get the public the answers they deserve.
I want to briefly direct your attention to two documents I'm hoping we will put up on the screen. In the first an individual emails Jeffrey Epstein,
asking whether a woman identified as M was pro or civilian, and Epstein responds that she was a civilian Russian and fun.
In the second email, Epstein writes to Steve Tisch about a Ukrainian girl, noting that she was, quote, a little freaked out by the age difference, and
stating that he would try to convince her not to return to Ukraine. He then instructs Mr. Tisch to call him, adding, I don't like records of these
conversations.
So, I'd like to ask a straightforward question that really is either a yes or no answer. Do these emails constitute credible evidence, not proof, but
credible evidence warning further investigation into whether Steve Tisch was involved in Epstein's criminal conduct? Do you think yes or no?
BONDI: I'm not going to play a yes or no game with you, but I will answer the question to the best of my ability. As I said, we will look and
investigate any case involving any victim. I'm not familiar there were 3 million pages, of course, with that email.
[11:05:00]
But of course, we will look into anything. The documents have been released, 3 million the redacted versions. We left them open for all of you
to come to you. Have you -- I believe you view them, if not. Will you have some copies?
LOFGREN: I'd like to --
BONDI: Can I finish please. I'm not being rude.
LOFGREN: I only have five minutes.
BONDI: No, yeah, and I only have 30 seconds based on your filibuster.
LOFGREN: You didn't answer.
JORDAN: Time --
LOFGREN: So let me just go further. Director Patel testified in this committee room that there was no credible information indicating that
Epstein trafficked victims to anyone else. And glancing at the documents that proves that's not the case.
In July, your department issued a memo stating that it conducted an exhaustive review of the Epstein files and concluded that no additional
individuals would be charged. So, I did go over to the Department of Justice yesterday.
BONDI: Good.
LOFGREN: I would know that 400 -- and all our 35 members are in the House, and there's four computers, so it would take many months to actually have
the time. You know, I only had a few hours. I think the transparency argument is really kind of a sham, because it's not really --
BONDI: Well, well, well did you have to wait to get a computer?
LOFGREN: It is not possible to --
JORDAN: Hang on. Hang on.
LOFGREN: -- really go in. I did, however, see a U.S. Attorney information for the Southern District of New York, indicating that there were
additional survivors and probable co-conspirators. Other members of Congress have uncovered likely co-conspirators whose names were blocked
out.
Now, the Epstein File Transparency Act, which all but one member of this House voted for, and the president signed, requires the department to
release everything except that it needs to be redacted to protect the victims or an ongoing prosecution, which apparently there is none from the
testimony we have received.
I am concerned that this act has not been fully complied with. When Director Patel came to the Committee, he admitted that up to 1000 FBI
agents had gone through the files and redacted President Trump's name from them, and it's pretty clear that what has been transmitted from the FBI
continues to redact President Trump's name, even though he is mentioned thousands of times in these files.
So, I think the credibility of the department in terms of complying with the act has been damaged. And I think the department's credibility has been
damaged in other ways. I think we all saw the horrible video of American citizens being killed by I.C.E. agents in Minneapolis.
And I think how the department has handled these cases raises a lot of doubt about the department. State and local police in Minnesota got a court
order to get access to the crime scene to be sure evidence would be properly preserved by federal agents.
But they took the agents defied the court order and in the departure from general policy DOJ is not collaborating with state and local law
enforcement on these homicides. So, I really think that is a disgraceful approach to the homicides of American citizens, and really does nothing to
bring credit to your department. And Mr. Chairman, I would yield back.
JORDAN: Gentlelady yields back.
BONDI: May I answer?
JORDAN: Attorney General, can respond.
BONDI: I find it interesting that she keeps going after President Trump, the greatest president in American history. And if they could maintain
their composure, this isn't a circus. This is a hearing. I find it interesting she keeps going after Donald Trump. She doesn't say how much
money she took from Reid Hoffman, did you? And nor --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, regular order, please.
BONDI: She posted nothing on her X account, on her Twitter account during the Biden year.
JORDAN: Gentlelady.
BONDI: Yeah, now all the --
LOFGREN: No question asked.
BONDI: -- going after those files.
LOFGREN: There was no question -- Attorney General. She doesn't just get this.
JORDAN: Committee will be in order.
LOFGREN: I have a point of order Mr. Chairman.
JORDAN: Committee will be in order.
LOFGREN: Point of order Mr. Chairman.
JORDAN: The gentlelady can state her point of order.
LOFGREN: When a witness attacks --
JORDAN: Not a valid point of order. You got to state --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She hasn't completed her point of order yet. Please let her speak Mr. Chairman, let's have some regular order.
JORDAN: Regular order is you got to state the rules.
LOFGREN: I am trying -- I am trying to make a point of order that the witness --
JORDAN: What value are you referring to?
LOFGREN: -- without responding to a question has attacked me personally. I think it's pathetic that she can't answer the questions and attacking.
JORDAN: -- close to point of order. The gentleman from Wisconsin is recognized.
REP. THOMAS TIFFANY (R-WI): In August of last year, I sent a letter to the Department of Justice asking for assistance in seeking compensation for the
Town of Lac Du Flambeau.
[11:10:00]
Town of Lac Du Flambeau is my district. And your office replied that it was an ongoing matter and unable to comment on it, which I understand is just
fine. I want to set this up just as a reminder. So, three years ago, it was at this time of year that four roads were blockaded in the Town of Lac Du
Flambeau, and the temperature was 25 below zero.
People had to park their cars at a neighbor's place, take the snow mobile across the lake, to get their car and then be able to drive into town.
There were people 80 and 90 years old that could not -- were very concerned that they'd be able to get emergency medical services.
And the perpetrators of this, the tribe out there, they demanded compensation from the town. I would call it extortion. They ultimately got
$600,000 from the Town of Lac du Flambeau. The unfortunate part, Mr. Chairman, is that the Biden Administration took the side of the
perpetrators who closed those roads off.
And the Biden Administration made it clear to the Town of Lac du Flambeau that we are not on your side in regards to this. Well, fortunately, there
was a federal judge that said, no, this is wrong what happened? And these roads should be left open. They should continue to be left open.
My question to you is, are you willing to work with my office and with the Town of Lac Du Flambeau to further investigate this matter and seek
compensation from the tribal government after their extortion of $600,000 from this little town in Northern Wisconsin.
BONDI: Congressman, you do a great job representing your district. And yes, we would more than welcome working with you, and we are familiar with that
investigation.
TIFFANY: Mr. Chairman, I would just add we were highlighting these miscarriages of justice in the previous administration. This is just
another one of those small examples, no different than the Catholic Diocese in Richmond and many others that you have retold so many times. But here's
another instance of what they did to a small town and nearly bankrupted them as a result of it. Fortunately, there was a federal judge that saw
through it and has fixed it.
I want to move on to fraud enforcement. You have established a National Fraud Enforcement Division, is that correct Madam Attorney General?
BONDI: Yes, Congressman.
TIFFANY: Has this new division begun any investigations and getting after those individuals that have committed the ramp and fraud we've seen like in
Minnesota?
BONDI: It's not only rampant in Minnesota, it's rampant throughout this country, much of it is in California, as you know, and other places. Yes,
we are working on it actively. Our criminal fraud division has been working on it. We are expanding that.
It was the vice president's idea to come up with this amazing separate fraud division, which we are establishing and going non-stop, not only to
expose the fraud in Minnesota, but around the country. It's taxpayer dollars that have been stolen from the American people, and we are
committed to recovering that money and holding those people accountable.
TIFFANY: Mr. Chairman, I would remind everyone here, why did this happen in Minneapolis? Why did federal law enforcement have to go to Minneapolis
because of industrial scale fraud? It was an assistant United States attorney that said this is industrial scale fraud that's going on in
Minnesota at this point.
I sent a letter to our Governor in Wisconsin. We're right across the border there. My district is only 20 miles from the City of Minneapolis. And I
asked him to open the books for a federal audit on food stamps and Medicaid. Don't you think it would be a good idea for every governor to do
that at this point?
BONDI: It protects the citizens. And I can't understand why that's not happening. And yes, I do think that's a great idea. It's happening around
this country. And when our new division with Colin McDonald is established, it's established when Colin is confirmed. He's amazing. I think you've met
with him you said Chairman.
When that is established, we're going to work on both sides of the aisle. That's what we want to do to stop fraud in every city, in every state in
this country. We will continue to fight for the American.
TIFFANY: So, you would encourage every governor across the United States, after what we have seen in Minnesota, what we almost certainly know is
happening in other states? You mentioned California. You would agree that every governor should avail themselves of federal resources to make sure
that this industrial scale fraud is rooted out to protect the taxpayers of the United States. Is that correct?
BONDI: Absolutely.
TIFFANY: Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
JORDAN: Gentleman yields back. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized.
[11:15:00]
REP. STEVE COHEN (D-TN): Thank you Mr. Chair. First, like to thank you for holding this hearing and holding it in a proper fashion, as you have.
Secondly, I'd like to thank all of the victims of the Epstein case who come here to attend this hearing, for doing it for being brave and trying to
move this justice forward. I apologize. I can't do it, but the Attorney General not recognizing you, that's embarrassing.
I am from Memphis, General Bondi. And Memphis does have the task force there. The Memphis Safe Task Force has been operating in Memphis for
several months, and we do have a Democratic Mayor, Paul Young, and he's not against the Task Force, but he is against I.C.E. being in Memphis, and he's
not in favor of the National Guard being in Memphis.
And I concur with him of those positions, I think the DEA being there, the alcohol, tobacco, firearms, the FBI who have been in Memphis, and other
ways, having more people there is good for Memphis. Crime has gone down in Memphis, but it went down 25 percent before the task force got there, under
the direction of Mary Young and Director Davis, Chief Davis.
It's gone down about 15 percent more since then. And that's good, but I would like to comment that Mexico City's homicide rate has gone down 40
percent during the same time, when Memphis has only gone down 25 percent and that's not necessarily because of the task force, although the mayor
says he thinks it's helped. So, I thank you for that.
You would agree, I presume that violent crime in communities across our country is critically important, and that's why the task force is there. Is
that not true?
BONDI: Yes. And if I can just add to that, I think the surge the FBI, our FBI, under the leadership of Director Patel, came in and did a surge in
Memphis --
COHEN: Earlier?
BONDI: -- prior, yes, right. Prior to the task force. And thank you for saying that about Mayor Young. He's been great to work with. And thank you.
COHEN: He's a good guy.
BONDI: He is a very good guy.
COHEN: One problem I've got with where we are in priorities here. A recent Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice report based on arrest
records in Texas and in California found that undocumented immigrants were less than half as likely as U.S. born Americans to be arrested for
homicide, and this pattern holds for assault, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, theft and arson, half as likely to be arrested for drug offenses.
So, I ask you, and I've written to you about this. There are TV ads that run that say to local law enforcement specifically, are you tired of being
having your hands handcuffed because you can't do the things you wanted to do when you joined? And if you want to do something different, join I.C.E.,
and you'll get a $50,000 bonus and will pay your -- pay off your debts, student debts, and will help you with pensions, et cetera, et cetera.
So, they're encouraging local law enforcement to leave local law enforcement and go to work for I.C.E. We need people working in the front
lines of local law enforcement to protect our citizens from the worst of the worst. The worst of the worst are not the immigrants. The worst of the
worst records show our native-born Americans.
And they are committing crimes that hurt our citizens and our cities. And you're working against it, and thank you for that. But by trying to get our
local law enforcement, where we have an under count of officers in Memphis to leave Memphis and go to work for I.C.E. to deport people, is a wrong
priority.
Why are we trying to get people policemen who are working on the front lines to leave the front lines, take the $50,000 and go to work for I.C.E.
instead of working to fight the worst of the worst?
BONDI: Congressman, I have not yet seen that commercial, that ad. I would argue that we need strong people in both local law enforcement, state law
enforcement, and all of our federal agencies working together. I've seen some of the worst of the worst violent criminals, violent criminals who
were in this country illegally.
We both know that. And in Memphis, working hand in hand. I want to stick with Memphis and your mayor and what you discussed, because there have been
nearly 6000 arrests as of February 8th. And I think you agree with this, in your district, in your district, and almost 600 gang members. What we found
in Memphis, a lot of the gangs are our local gangs, but 600 gang members were taken off --
COHEN: -- taking my time because I only have 3 minutes.
BONDI: -- 100.
COHEN: I'm going to agree with you. And thank you for that.
BONDI: And 148 missing children were recovered by all of us working together. And nearly 1000 illegal guns were seized as a result of us
working together.
COHEN: I'd like to reclaim my time. And I don't disagree with some of the things you said, but there are questions about those children, but it's
different thing. The fact is, I.C.E. is running rampant, and you are not investigating them.
When they killed Mr. Pretti and Ms. Good, that was an execution, and you did not investigate it. And you tried to investigate her -- Ms. Good's
widow, and you tried to investigate Mr. Pretti.
[11:20:00]
They were executed like Kristi Noem executed her dog, and that was wrong. And you should investigate those people. And you should investigate anybody
that uses a weapon in federal official or not for civil rights violations. I yield back the balance of my time.
JORDAN: Gentleman yields back his time. Madam Attorney General, anytime you need a break, just let us know.
BONDI: I'm great.
JORDAN: If not, we'll just keep going. The Chair is now recognized for five minutes. Madam Attorney General, you're not allowed to exercise your
constitutional rights in a way that tramples on someone else's are you?
BONDI: No.
JORDAN: No, you can't do that. I mean, you have a right to petition the government under the First Amendment that didn't mean you can come into
this room and start screaming at Mr. Raskin, or me, or me, or anybody else and disrupt a congressional hearing.
You have a right to protest on the street, but that doesn't give you a right to go into the Capitol and disrupt Congress, something these guys
talk about every day. You can't do that. So, when Don Lemon said that he was exercising his First Amendment free press rights, freedom of the press
rights, that's not really accurate, because he was trampling on other individuals right is that true?
BONDI: Chairman, we will always protect our churches and the freedom of religion. And yes, that's accurate.
JORDAN: First right, mentioned under the First Amendment item of religion, freedom practice your faith the way you think the good Lord wants you to,
right?
BONDI: That's right under the federal government.
JORDAN: And isn't it true that Mr. Lemon met at a shopping center with the rioters who entered city's church in St. Paul met with them prior to
marching to the church.
BONDI: He did meet, and this is a pending case right now, so I will only stick to what is in the four corners of the unsealed indictment, if I could
Chairman.
JORDAN: Yeah, I'm focused --
BONDI: There's a lot more that will come out. But under the four corners of the indictment, yes, he did. They had an operation called Operation Pull
Up. They said they were gearing for a resistance. They met in a parking lot, and they caravaned to a church on a Sunday morning when people were
worshiping together.
JORDAN: Mr. Lemon said that he live streamed before entering the church with the rioters. Didn't he say, we're going to head to the operation?
Didn't he say this on -- he said this on camera? Is that right?
BONDI: Yes, Chairman and more.
JORDAN: Yeah. That he was in Minnesota, and that, as you said, they were gearing up for an operation. So, you again, you can't do that. This is why
this is, I think, so important that this guy be held accountable. And I think why you guys have charged him and indicted him.
Moving to the second subject here, will John Brennan be indicted? Mr. Mr. Brennan, lied to the Committee, which you're not supposed to do last
Congress, and we depose him. He definitely 18 USC 1001 we're all familiar with it. He lied to the committee, and the committee the Congress, I think
the country would like to know if, in fact, he's going to be indicted for lines.
And here's why it's so important, I'll give you a chance to respond. Here's why it's so important. Wasn't just that he lied to us, it's what he lied to
us about. He lied to us about when all this weaponization against the President of the United States started. He lied to us about the dossier,
and specifically what role the dossier played in the intelligence community assessment.
Because we know back when President Trump was first elected first term. This is when it all started, which led to the Mueller and to the
impeachment and to the Jack Smith and all the stuff that's happened in the last decade. But it began here, and he lied to Congress about the role he
played.
And I just want to read a couple of things he said during that deposition before I give you a chance to respond. Mr. Brennan, when asked a question
said the CIA was not involved at all with the dossier. He said it was their purview, FBI's purview, and not ours. He also said the CIA was very much
opposed to having any reference or inclusion of "The Steele Dossier" in the intelligence community assessment.
Well, that's interesting, because declassified information that was declassified this past summer by the CIA says something entirely different.
It says, Brennan -- I want to put this one up if we have it. It says Brennan ultimately formalized his position in writing, stating that quote,
this is released by the CIA Director Ratcliffe.
My bottom line is that what I believe that that information warrants inclusion in the report. He was further asked by a CIA official. The same
officer said, when he approached the director and asked -- that the director refused to remove it after being explained this wasn't good with
the dossiers, many false he said, yes, but doesn't it ring true?
So, this is John Brennan using that document to change intelligence community assessment, which I think led to all the stuff we've seen over
the last decade. And I think this committee in the country, Congress in the country, would excuse me, like to know if Mr. Brennan is going to be
indicted?
BONDI: What I can confirm is that we have received a referral from you, Chairman Jordan to investigate John Brennan.
[11:25:00]
His attorneys have made some public statements, but the department is still bound, of course, by our long-standing policy of not discussing matters.
What I will say today, I can't confirm nor deny whether there is a pending investigation, but what I will say is no one is above the law.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman --
BONDI: Weaponization has ended.
JORDAN: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Point of order, Mr. Chairman?
JORDAN: Gentleman from New York, is recognized for a point of order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we want to know whether Mr. Brennan will be indicted, you should just ask the president?
JORDAN: Not a point of order, but I appreciate they're trying to make it one. The gentleman from Georgia is recognized.
REP. HANK JOHNSON (D-GA): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Bondi, it's been reported that there were, at one point, 1000 personnel assigned to the task
of identifying and scrubbing Donald Trump's name from the Epstein files. Were those reports accurate?
BONDI: I believe his name has appeared countless times in the document, if I --
JOHNSON: But how many were signed?
BONDI: If I could -- if I could finish.
JOHNSON: I just --
BONDI: I'm going to read you the stats.
JOHNSON: I just simply asked whether or not it was true that it was 1000 folks who were assigned that task. Were those reports accurate?
BONDI: There are more than 500 attorneys and reviewers. I cannot give you an exact number. I'm trying to answer -- I'm answering your question.
JOHNSON: I wanted to ask you about that also because different question that you're getting now. There were 500 DOJ lawyers and others assigned the
task of redacting the appropriate information, including identities of the Epstein victim survivors from the Epstein files prior to their release, 500
is that correct?
BONDI: If I could have finished my answer, there were more than 500 attorneys and reviewers who assisted with the --
JOHNSON: Ok. All right.
BONDI: -- they have asked a question --
JOHNSON: That answers my question, ma'am.
BONDI: You don't want an answer.
JOHNSON: And I'm going to move on. I'm going to move on.
BONDI: -- for multiple --
JORDAN: Committee will be in order.
BONDI: This is ridiculous.
JORDAN: Time belongs to the gentleman from Georgia.
JOHNSON: General Bondi, would you agree that your eight years of service as the State of Florida's Attorney General, the third largest state in the
nation, served as an excellent preparation for your current role as Attorney General for the United States of America?
BONDI: Not only that, I was a career prosecutor for 18 years --
JOHNSON: For 18 years --
BONDI: 18 years.
JOHNSON: -- and for 18 years. For 18 years --
BONDI: You asked the question and doesn't want an answer. This is theatrics.
JOHNSON: No, for 18 years, you prosecuted serious felony cases, including drug cases, correct?
BONDI: Oh, I prosecuted homicides, I prosecuted Capitol cases, I prosecuted domestic violence cases. I prosecuted multiple cases, and that's why I feel
for all of these victims. And did you ask Merrick Garland this when you sitting before him sir?
JOHNSON: You also prosecuted sexual assault cases and child sex trafficking cases, correct?
BONDI: I answered that question earlier.
JOHNSON: OK.
BONDI: I prosecuted multiple --
JOHNSON: For years, so the bottom line --
BONDI: If I could answer the question.
JOHNSON: For years and season --
BONDI: For 18 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, will you remind her of the rules? The time belongs to the member of the committee.
JORDAN: -- times.
JOHNSON: A seasoned an experienced prosecutor, correct?
JORDAN: I think we've established that.
JOHNSON: Yes or no?
BONDI: Does he want an answer or not?
JORDAN: He wants an answer.
JOHNSON: I want a yes or no answer.
BONDI: When I answer --
JORDAN: I think he wants to --
BONDI: Yeah --
JOHNSON: I'll live with what you have already said. Let me ask you -- let me ask you this question.
BONDI: Clearly do you any?
JOHNSON: In the prosecution of sexual assault cases, you are acutely aware of how important it is to protect the identity of victims of sexual assault
correct?
BONDI: I have addressed this multiple times. I think others were cutting me off when I was trying to.
JOHNSON: I just simply asked, are you aware of the fact that it's vitally important to protect the identity of sexual assault victims as you
prosecute the people, they accuse of assaulting them, isn't that correct?
BONDI: Excuse me, as we have said multiple times --
JOHNSON: Protection of --
BONDI: Protection of all victims --
JOHNSON: -- of the victims are very important.
BONDI: -- protected under. Do you want me to answer, or do you want to interrupt?
[11:30:00]
JOHNSON: Well, because you're not answering the question, you do a Jekyll and Hyde kind of routine around here. And I just want you to answer my
questions.
BONDI: What does Jekyll and Hyde mean? Can you explain that?
JOHNSON: Well, it means you're nice to the Republicans and you turn like Hyde on Democrats. But let me ask you this, ma'am. We have the Epstein
victim survivors here today. Representative Jayapal asked a simple question, if you would be so kind and honorable as to turn around and face
them and apologize to them for outing them.
I mean, how much -- how many lives have been derailed because your department was either sloppy and incompetent or willfully trying to
intimidate and punish these ladies coming forward?
BONDI: You're time is up.
JORDAN: Time of the gentleman --
JOHNSON: Which was it --
JORDAN: The time of the gentleman has expired. The gentleman yields back. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin for five minutes.
REP. SCOTT FITZGERALD (R-WI): Attorney General, Bondi, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have spent the past several months attacking the
administration for doing exactly what the American people wanted when they overwhelmingly elected President Trump securing our border and enforcing
our immigration laws.
I find it a bit ironic, because this is the same party who just a few years ago, were openly supporting strong immigration enforcement after witnessing
criminal illegal aliens wreak havoc on the American communities. I have a short video I just wanted to play.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're also a nation of laws. Undocumented workers broke our immigration laws, and I believe that they must be held accountable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've committed a crime, deport them. No questions asked. They're gone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No great nation can be in a position where they can't control their borders.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: While we need to address the issue of immigration and the challenge we have of undocumented people in our country. We certainly
don't want any more coming in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold
might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That's why our administration has
moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever
before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple. When we use phrases like undocumented workers, we convey a message to the American
people that their government is not serious about combating illegal immigration, which the American people overwhelmingly oppose. If you don't
think it's illegal, you're not going to say it. I think it is illegal and wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Open the borders my God. You know, there's a lot of poverty in this world, and you're going to have people from all over the
world. And I don't think that's something that we can do at this point. Can't do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes or no, would you allow the cities to ignore the federal law?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, unchecked and circumventing the
line of people who are waiting patiently, diligently and lawfully to become immigrants in this country.
FITZGERALD: So, Attorney General, Bondi, what's the Trump Administration DOJ, doing to end the open border policies of the prior administration that
saw dangerous drugs and criminal aliens flood our communities?
BONDI: Congressman, President Trump has worked tirelessly, as you know, to close our border, which is what the Democrats had asked for in that video.
President Trump closed our borders on day one. He is protecting Americans.
He is protecting our kids from the influx of drugs that were flowing into this country from Mexico. The fentanyl precursors that were coming from
China. These precursors were taken from China into Mexico. And in Mexico, they were mixed and freely taken right into our country, along with gang
members, MS-13, TDA, freely coming into our cities around our country.
Thanks to Joe Biden's open border policies that has stopped under Donald Trump. It will no longer happen under this administration, and he is doing
everything to keep Americans safe. And let me continue.
[11:35:00]
When he was elected overwhelmingly by the American people, the majority of the American people wanted Donald Trump one of the main reasons was border
security and keeping Americans safe, and that's exactly what he did, and that's why today the other side sits here.
They yell. They cut me off. They want to yell. They want to ask a question. And don't want answers, because they want to distract from all the great
things that this president and this administration working hand-in-hand, and that includes Secretary Noem, who has closed our borders.
And Tom Homan, who has closed our borders to keep Americans safe. And they're trying to distract from that, and they're not going to do it,
because the American people are smarter than that, and they see through their theatrics.
FITZGERALD: Thank you. Just quickly yesterday Senator Grassley reached out to my office to tell me that I was one of the 20 members that was now
disclosed were under surveillance from Jack Smith. This brings up the question of non-disclosed orders and whether or not they should apply to
members of Congress?
But with my phone records being surveilled as well as looks like 19 other members of Congress just wondering how DOJ views that?
JORDAN: Time of gentleman has expired but the gentlelady can respond.
BONDI: As I stated earlier, Congressman, anyone's records who were illegally obtained, Democrat or Republican we will fight vigorously to stop
that. Anything with Arctic Frost I can't discuss right now.
JORDAN: And isn't it true Madam Attorney General the DOJ has changed their policy? You can't -- you can't do that now.
BONDI: Absolutely.
JORDAN: The DOJ is not going to go do that and ask the judge for an --
BONDI: Absolutely.
JORDAN: Yeah, good. That, in and of itself, tells you why this how wrong it was. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from California.
REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): Madam Attorney General, you acknowledged earlier to Mr. Johnson that President Trump was mentioned and the release countless
times you said in the Epstein files. I just want to play a video, though, for you that I think speaks to the frustration that many of these victims
have times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump's name appears in the files, so it could at least be 1000 times. Is that right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number is a total misleading factor. We have not released anyone's name --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But the number is basically a thousand times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have not released anyone's names in file, that has not been credible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At least be a thousand times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've released every piece of legally permissible information.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can characterize the numbers however you want it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're claiming my time, Director. It sounds like, if you don't know the number, it could at least be thousand times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it at least 500 times?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it least 100 times?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then what's the number?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know the number.
SWALWELL: I understand why the victims are frustrated. And the Attorney General acknowledged what Mr. Patel would not acknowledge, that it was way
more than thousand times. But I want to move Madam Attorney General to weaponization of government.
And yesterday, it was reported that six members of Congress had indictments sought against him, and they were not returned by a grand jury. My
colleagues have spoken about their frustration of being in subpoenas and having cell phone records combed through.
Well in 2017 and 2018 Adam Schiff and I had our cell phone records and email records combed through, not by you, but a different Department of
Justice under the president, it was in retaliation for our role in the Russia interference campaign. An inspector general report would find this
improper, and that the predicate for it was absurd.
In 2020 after sitting on two committees that were a part of the president's first impeachment, an FBI agent leaked my cooperation in a national
security case where my campaign was targeted. The president's FBI senior leadership authorized two statements to the press that said I was never
suspected of wrongdoing and only helped the investigation.
But that didn't stop the death threats or my GOP colleagues from referring me to an ethics investigation where Kevin McCarthy's Chairman on the Ethics
Committee would find the same thing as the FBI. Our current FBI Director would then write a book called "Government Gangsters" and identify a long
list of enemies.
About a quarter of them have been either investigated or indicted. He listed me at the very top, along with Adam Schiff. And during that same
testimony, refused to recuse himself when asked if he would recuse if any case came across his desk involving me or people on that list.
Since that testimony, his department has put me under investigation with Senator Schiff for the nonsense mortgage fraud cases that we've seen. I get
it. This is what the president does. I've priced it in. We have a bingo card at home that my kids have made of what will come next.
I expected that the president would come after his enemies. But what I want to talk to you next is serious, and I did not expect this would happen, and
I'd like your help on it. The president has inspired death threats against me, and many sitting up here with me.
In June 2025, an individual left 11 voice mail at my district office. On the voice mails, they said, get the message to him. I'm going to hunt him
down, that mother fucker, and toss his ass over the Golden Gate Bridge by my fucking self.
[11:40:00]
Donald Trump's Department of Justice in the Northern District of California declined to prosecute. On May 14th, 2025 on Twitter, responding to
something I posted, an individual said, no, it wasn't Eric, and now I'm going to kill you. The Department of Justice from the Southern District of
Texas declined to prosecute.
May through December of 2025 we received messages at my office that said, I hope somebody shoots you and your children and your wife in the head. Pew,
pew, mother fucker. Pew, pew, I would stay indoors as much as possible, and my children, unfortunately have to do that.
The Department of Justice has not charged this individual and cited that he's a prolific caller and has health conditions, although what we have
found in our own investigation and his voice mails is that he has said he will employ others to do this.
The president can come after me. It's fine. I'm in the arena. So are these folks, but we never expected that the Department of Justice would not seek
to prosecute and investigate those who are making threats against us. And that would include those on that side of the aisle. And I help -- I'm just
asking for your help to protect life, because life is at risk with the environment we're in right now.
BONDI: Congressman, I completely agree with you. I know about several of those personally involving you. I believe one has been charged publicly.
And there's something I would be happy to talk to you about off camera, but I can assure you that they are very serious. They are being looked into.
And I can give you more details on those. None of you should be threatened ever. None of your children should be threatened. None of your families
should be threatened. And I will work with you. You can come into my office any day I will work with all of you on both sides of the aisle if you are
ever threatened.
And I would, I'll gladly talk to you after this, hearing about your cases, but I can tell you, some of them are very active.
SWALWELL: Appreciate that. Yield back. JORDAN: Gentleman yields back. And we're sorry for what the gentleman and his family have had to go through. We appreciate what the attorney general
said. And I think some of the things that the gentleman from California related, we can all relate to, and it's unfortunate. It's wrong, as the
attorney general said, and we appreciate the help we get from the Justice Department. With that, we will now recognize the gentleman from New Jersey,
Mr. Van Drew.
REP. VAN DREW (R-NJ): Thank you, Chairman. I don't know where to begin. Thank you for being here General. Might see me when I'm right in front of
you. I just -- I have to mention this first.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right, you've just been listening to a very lively interaction between the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and
several member lawmakers, essentially, as she is being grilled on Capitol Hill. A lot of the topics have ranged in terms of focusing on immigration,
to the Epstein files.
We had one lawmaker there talk about his family being threatened. But the real focus of this is really about the Justice Department's handling of the
Epstein files. We know the Republicans tended to focus much more on immigration, but Democrats have been talking about the fact that in a lot
of these files, the co-conspirators likely co-conspirators names in the Epstein files, many of their names have been redacted, while, for example,
many of the victims' names have been actually laid bare.
I want to bring in Corey Brettschneider, who is a Political Science Professor at Brown University and the Co-Host of the "Oath and the Office"
Podcast. He's also the Author of "The Presidents and the People, Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It".
He's joining us live now from Providence, Rhode Island.
So that was really fiery Corey, to say the least. For Pam Bondi, her target audience was, of course, the president. She was very heated with Democrats
there. I mean, what do you make of this particular performance, and also for voters who are watching this at home?
I mean, obviously this is such a serious issue when it comes to the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What do you think that the
voters on both sides of the aisle would have made of what we saw today in this hearing?
COREY BRETTSCHNEIDER, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR, BROWN UNIVERSITY: Well, I think your first point is really explains what we've been watching, which
is that, unfortunately, this attorney general, although she's not supposed to be the president's lawyer, she's supposed to be the people's lawyer,
really only cares about one person.
And one person's reaction, and that's the President of the United States, Donald Trump. And Donald Trump only wants to see one thing, which is
loyalty, making him separate from the Epstein investigation, denying the facts of his obvious involvement. Thousands of mentions in these files. And
she was really trying her best to please him as he watches this hearing and to show that she is a loyalist over all things.
[11:45:00]
The real story here, to my mind, is the destruction of the Department of Justice. You mentioned the "Oath in the Office" Podcast, my podcast that we
interviewed Preet Barra, who famously was a legendary prosecutor, U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York.
And what we speak about on that podcast is how different things were when he had that office. The Department of Justice used to be a prestigious
institution, independent from political prosecutions like the Comey case or James the prosecutions that are happening and really valued.
And what Bondi has done, and really this was a large example of it, is destroy that independence certainly. I mean, Preet Barra talks about the
fact that he wouldn't even call -- he was concerned to even take a phone call from the president. That's how different things were now.
The attorney general is taking her commands from the president and performing in an embarrassing way to really, just as you said in the
beginning, impress him.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: If you were just to watch this and analyze it, it did appear Corey to be two very different hearings. Whether
it was the Republicans questioning the attorney general, the focus was strictly on immigration and how they described the open border policy of
President Trump's successors versus predecessors, versus how President Trump has addressed this issue now.
And then, you hear from Democrats who, for the most part, tended to focus on the Epstein files and her role in it. To Zain's point, I'm just
wondering this is happening late morning, the middle of the day. Most Americans are at work focusing on their own family and personal affairs and
professional demands.
This hearing is meant from whom? We know the president is meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I don't know if the two of them are happening to
catch this in real time, but who is this benefiting and who is the core audience Corey?
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Yeah, I think it is the President of the United States that President Trump, if he's not watching now, he'll certainly hear about her
performance. And I think her job is on the line, because the more Epstein is in the news, and Epstein means Trump is in the news, and his complicity,
that enrages him.
And he wants to pivot to his agenda, and he wants to shape what really is his attempt to shut down American democracy. And you did hear about that
too, in addition to the Epstein files, the actions in Minnesota, the refusal of the Department of Justice in the last round to protect members
of Congress and actually engaging in incitement of hatred and even violence against members of Congress and the president's rhetoric.
You know, he's trying to make that narrative his own, and the more it slips into either threats to democracy or Epstein, her job is on the line, so
that's what you're watching. And you know, let's talk too, about the way she reacted to so many of the questions, the frustration, the yelling. This
isn't behavior that's fitting of the chief law enforcement officer. It's somebody who is a purely partisan.
And this kind of anger towards any legitimate question challenging her speaks to the fact that all she's trying to do is impress the president. I
should say too, we saw examples of this over and over in American history during the Kavanaugh hearings.
Reporting suggests that Kavanaugh was about to lose the nomination until he turned on the committee, and she knows that. She knows how to impress her
boss. And you know he's not supposed to be our boss. I should say it's supposed to be the American people.
When she brings a case, it's the people of the United States against criminal, accused criminal, or an indicted criminal. And you know, she's
turned that into, really the entire office of the Department of Justice, her position serving one person, and that's the president, and that's
inverting what this system is supposed to look like.
ASHER: It's quite an interesting moment when a Democrat lawmaker actually told her to apologize to some of the victims in the room, and her response
was simply, your time is up. Corey Brettschneider, live for us. Thank you so much. We're right back with more after the short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
ASHER: All right, right now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at the White House meeting with Donald Trump. Two Israeli sources tell CNN
the leaders are discussing options for possible military strikes against Iran. Just as President Trump says he's considering deploying a second
carrier strike group to the Middle East.
GOLODRYGA: Now we're joined by Steven Cook from the Council on Foreign Relations. His new book is called "The End of Ambition: America's Past,
Present and Future in the Middle East". Steven, it is good to see you again.
We know that these two leaders are currently meeting at the White House. And Prime Minister Netanyahu, before heading out on this trip, said that
ballistic missiles are essential principles going into any kind of peace negotiation.
We know that Israel has been particularly focused and alarmed at how Iran has begun to reconstitute its ballistic missile program, which given that
the United States, along with Israel, had really set back its nuclear program? And how weakened the proxies are at this point, many view that the
ballistic missile program is the key to the future and the lifeline now for this regime?
What are you expecting to hear from President Trump in response to those concerns from the prime minister?
STEVEN COOK, SENIOR FELLOW, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Yeah, you're exactly right. The ballistic missiles were the only successful part of
Iran's war effort during the 12-day war this summer. And the United States and Israel did some damage to it, but as you point out, they quickly sought
to reconstitute their capabilities, which are quite robust.
And Israel and the United States do not have the numbers of interceptors to effectively manage that threat. So, I think what the prime minister is here
about is the -- are those ballistic missiles? And I think he was alarmed when he heard last week the president saying that a nuclear only deal would
be acceptable to him.
Now the president has said has talked about ballistic missile since, but I think that the Israeli Prime Minister wants to get assurances that Israel's
security and Israel's concerns about ballistic missile will not be overlooked in any negotiation.
ASHER: Obviously, the U.S. has built up military forces in the region, just in terms of sending an aircraft carrier, guided missile destroyers, air
defense assets and war to sort of really supplement its presence in the region but also send a strong message. Walk us through what the U.S.'s,
options are, if these negotiations fail?
COOK: Yeah, look, the United States has a tremendous amount of firepower in the region. We haven't seen this kind of build up since the invasion of
Iraq. I think there are very significant options for the president. We could he -- we could see him order limited strikes, as he did over the
summer.
There could be a broader campaign, ongoing campaign, to bring the regime down by targeting regime targets, as well as ballistic missile
capabilities, and going back after the nuclear program or quarantine quite like what they've done to Venezuela in order to weaken the regime that way.
[11:55:00]
So, I think there are a variety of options for the president, and I think that's what he is seeking. He is seeking to rattle the Supreme Leader in
Iran and force them into a position where they have to negotiate from a position of great weakness. So far, the Iranians have not bent to the show
of power from the United States.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. And we know that they are continuing now to go after protesters, targeting their families, going into hospitals, some reports
suggest, and killing patients there. How boxed in is President Trump in the final seconds we have here at the show Steven given his past demands and
threats that Iran's days are numbered, and telling the protesters that help is on the way. Does he have to do something?
COOK: It seems that he does. He has set out a number of red lines, and he saw what happened when President Obama set out red lines and then backed
away from them. So, there is something to be done here. It could be as minimal as a blockade, or he could go after the regime in a big way.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Steven Cook, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate the time, and do stay with us. We'll have much more "One World"
after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
